Family Tangles
by Alexandra Irene Spears
Summary: (Sequel to "The Princess and the Pirate") There's one in every family, it seems. Adam and Adora's cousin Edwina is causing trouble for the family, with some help from Count Marzo. What are Marzo's plans, and is Edwina in over her head?
1. Edwina and the Count

Family Tangles

By Alexandra Spears

Sequel to _The Princess and the Pirate_

* * *

Chapter 1—Edwina and the Count

It was a hot summer day on Eternia. Nineteen-year-old Princess Adora and her husband, Captain Jeoff Blithe, who was known as the Sea Hawk, were lounging by the pool that was adjacent to the main courtyard. Adora was fourteen weeks pregnant and her pregnancy was starting to show slightly. She was relieved to have made it past her first trimester; her first pregnancy had ended in a miscarriage back in November, not even two months after she and Sea Hawk were married. She was also glad that the morning sickness had gone away a few weeks ago.

Adora had on a red one-piece swimsuit with a skirt. Sea Hawk had on green-brown swim trunks. She glanced over at him, saw that his eyes were closed. She smiled, glad that she had a husband who was handsome, well-built, and most importantly, loving towards her.

A year ago she had been a Horde prisoner on Etheria. She had managed to escape. She had met Sea Hawk, and they were married the same day they met. He'd been smitten with her the minute he saw her and had wanted to protect her from the Horde. Just this past spring they had helped Etheria's main kingdom, Bright Moon, overthrow the Horde's rule over it.

Sea Hawk, as if sensing his young wife was looking at him, turned his head and grinned at her. "Like what you see, my lovely?" he asked.

"You know it," Adora replied.

Sea Hawk went and knelt by the chaise lounge she was on. He placed his hand on the bump their baby made and kissed her lips gently.

"Oh, how vulgar!" said an arrogant female voice behind them.

The two of them looked up, and there stood Duchess Edwina, Adora's cousin, who was twenty-four. Edwina had red hair, blue eyes, and way too much make-up. She was constantly looking down her nose at everyone.

"Of course, what does one expect when one marries a pirate?" she continued.

Blood came to Adora's cheeks. Pregnancy brought about not only physical changes but emotional ones as well. She loved her husband, her parents and twin brother accepted him as part of the family, and just who did Edwina think she was, especially given what was whispered about _her?_

Edwina approached Sea Hawk and gave him an appreciative once-over. "Though he is rather handsome…."

"That's enough, Edwina," Sea Hawk said as he stood up and faced his wife's cousin. Since he was married to the Princess of Eternia, who was second in line to the throne until Adam's child was born, he outranked Edwina, though she was the daughter of one of one of Adora's paternal aunts and a duchess by birth. He didn't have to bow down to her or anything.

"Now I was just here to announce my arrival, since Uncle Randor and Aunt Marlena are going to be having their anniversary ball next week," she said.

"We know you're here, so you're excused," Sea Hawk said as he sat back down on his chaise lounge.

"Hmph." Edwina stuck her nose up in the air and left the pool area.

"That's right, my parents' twenty-first anniversary is next week," said Adora when her cousin was out of earshot.

"At least your other relatives aren't bad," said Sea Hawk. "I enjoy sparring with your cousin Dal. He's a lively one." Dal was the son of another of Randor's younger sisters and her husband, King Stefen of Dyperia.

"I feel like wringing Edwina's neck." Adora said as she lay back. "She's so disrespectful…she was often mean to me when I was little, pulling my hair…I always tried to stay away from her."

"I guess there's one like that in every family," said Sea Hawk.

"Hawk—you're not attracted to her, are you?"

Sea Hawk laughed. "No way! For one thing you are far more beautiful than she is. With her attitude, it's no wonder she's still single. Adora, you don't have a thing to worry about."

"I'm sorry," Adora sighed. "My emotions just keep going crazy."

"It's all right," Sea Hawk told her. He looked thoughtful. "How did Adam deal with her?"

"You know Adam and I have always been close, being twins," said Adora. "He would tease me sometimes, but if someone else did, he got them back. Frogs down the back of the dress were his specialty."

"Why does that not surprise me?" Sea Hawk chuckled.

* * *

One evening the following week, there was the ball celebrating King Randor and Queen Marlena's twenty-first wedding anniversary. Adora was walking around and mingling with friends, family, and guests.

She felt a hand on her elbow. "May I have this dance, Princess?" asked a voice she'd really hoped not to hear.

Adora turned and discreetly jerked her elbow from Count Marzo's grasp. She really wished her father would banish him; the thing was, evidence was needed of his wrongdoings. Her father was a fair man and didn't take banishment lightly. "My dance card is already filled up," she told him.

Just then, Edwina came up to them. "Pay her no mind, she's just a snooty princess," she said to Marzo. "I'm willing."

Marzo seemed to blink, then after a beat he grinned. "You are…?"

"Duchess Edwina. King Randor is my maternal uncle," she said.

"Oh yes, I remember now!" Marzo said. "Randor is the firstborn, and your mother was second-born?"

"That's right, my uncle was King Miro's only son," she said.

Adora's eyes narrowed suspiciously. Should anything happen to her father, her brother, and herself, and neither left any heirs, her aunt would be Queen of Eternia, with Edwina as Princess. There had to be a reason Marzo was asking about that. She didn't trust him at all. Clearly Marzo was looking to join the Royal Family of Eternia for his own gain. If he couldn't get the Princess of Eternia, he'd go to the next-ranking woman, the Duchess.

"Oh, Adora, you're just jealous," said Edwina, who had noticed Adora's expression. "Go back to that pirate you're shackled to."

* * *

Later that night, Adora was sitting on the bed she shared with Sea Hawk while he massaged her back and shoulders. As he gave her the massage, she told him what had happened with Marzo and Edwina.

"That does seem suspicious," Sea Hawk agreed. "Have you told your father?"

"He'd be reluctant to take any action without good evidence," Adora replied.

"It could be he just wants to marry into the family and come into some wealth," Sea Hawk suggested. He reached around and gently rubbed her belly. "And how's our little duke or duchess?" Adam's children would have the title of Prince or Princess, since they would be descended through the male line. Adora's children would have the title of Duke or Duchess, since they would be descended from the monarch through the female line. Should Adora become Queen, her children would have the title of Prince or Princess. If Adora had a daughter and she had children, they would have the title of Count or Countess. If she had a son and he had children, they would be dukes and duchesses, and so on. A firstborn son was first in the line of succession, and lacking any sons, it would go to the firstborn daughter.

"I still haven't felt the baby kick yet, but it's a bit early," Adora replied. "Hawk—are you wanting to know if the baby is a boy or a girl? I can have a scan done."

"Sure, so we know how to set up the nursery," Sea Hawk said as he gently kneaded her shoulders.

"I can find out next week, at my prenatal checkup," Adora said. Going back to the original subject, she said, "I think we should keep an eye on Edwina."

"Probably a good idea," Sea Hawk agreed. "That woman is treacherous. I've learned how to read people. And I'm willing to bet Marzo is up to something as well."

* * *

The following week, Adora and Teela went to the infirmary wing with their husbands so they could see the midwife. Their due dates were very close to each other. "Are you going to find out if you and Adam are having a boy or a girl, Teela?" Adora asked her sister-in-law.

"Adam can't wait," Teela said with a smile.

"I want to be able to call our child by the name we picked out," Adam shrugged. "Instead of 'it' or 'the baby.'"

Teela and Adam went in first, and Adora and Sea Hawk sat down to wait. "What did Adam say when you told him about your suspicions?" Sea Hawk asked Adora.

"He thinks Marzo just wants to be part of the family and come into wealth," Adora said. "And support his harem. I've heard tell he has more than one illegitimate child."

Sea Hawk shook his head. "Not exactly husband material, that's for sure."

"I don't know if Edwina really wants to marry him or anything, she's just trying to make me jealous because she sees he has a crush on me. She doesn't seem to realize, I am in no way interested in him, and I never was." She looked at her husband. "I'm glad I found you, Hawk."

"Glad I could help take the heat off," he grinned. "A pirate over a count—must've been a blow to his ego."

Adora couldn't help but giggle a little bit at this. "That's not why I married you, considering I had no way of knowing if I'd ever be able to come home—but it's a nice bonus."

A while later, Adam and Teela came out of the room. "It's a boy!" Adam said happily. "We're naming him Duncan, after Teela's father."

"Congratulations!" Adora said. "Father will be pleased."

"Your Highness," the midwife interrupted gently.

"We'll wait out here so we'll be the first to hear the news," Teela said as she and Adam sat down.

Sea Hawk and Adora went into the next room. There Adora changed into a gown and lay on an examination table and put her feet in the stirrups that were at the foot of the table. She went through this every month and by now was used to it.

The midwife did her usual exam, then she ran a device over Adora's belly. "Your daughter is pretty active," she smiled.

"A girl?" Sea Hawk said. Adora detected no trace of disappointment in his voice, though she knew he wouldn't mind having a son. Still, they planned on having a number of children.

"That's right, Your Highness," the midwife said. "And I see nothing wrong with her whatsoever, she's developing nicely. Do you have a name?"

"We were planning on naming a girl Marissa," Adora replied.

"Duchess Marissa," said the midwife as she eased Adora's feet out of the stirrups. "The nice part is, with your brother's wife expecting a baby around the same time, Prince Duncan and Duchess Marissa will have each other to play with."

"Almost like having twins," said Adora, reflecting on the fact that she and her twin brother would be parents at the same time.

As soon as Adora was dressed, she and her husband went out to the waiting area. "You're going to have Prince Duncan, and we're having Duchess Marissa," Adora told her brother and sister-in-law.

"Congratulations, Sis!" Adam exclaimed.

* * *

At dinner that evening, the twins told their parents their news. Queen Marlena smiled. "A grandson and a granddaughter," she said.

King Randor also had a smile on his face. "Just think, my dear…we're going to have children running around here once more."

Edwina, who was seated at the table with her parents, cleared her throat for attention. "If I may, Uncle, I have some news," she said.

Adora noticed that her aunt and uncle looked dismayed—which was their usual look. They had tried to raise Edwina properly, but she'd been rebellious and mean-spirited from the start.

"Count Marzo and I are to be married in two months' time," Edwina said, sounding self-satisfied.

"Count Marzo? With the reputation he has?" asked Edwina's father.

"It is my choice. I am over eighteen, Father," Edwina said.

Edwina's mother looked at her elder brother almost helplessly. Randor looked back at his younger sister in sympathy. "If it's what she wants to do, we can't stop her," Randor said.

Adora studied her cousin discreetly. She was sure Edwina stood to gain something out of this arrangement.


	2. Countess Edwina

Chapter 2: Countess Edwina

Both Adora and Teela were just past the midway point in their respective pregnancies when they attended the wedding of Edwina and Count Marzo. The wedding was held at the Palace of Eternia. Edwina had wanted as lavish a wedding as possible, and her relatives had had their hands full trying to restrain her, as she seemed to view the people of Eternia as a bottomless piggy bank. "Be reasonable," King Randor had told her on more than one occasion. Randor was a king that was beloved by his people, but he was not one to try to take advantage of that-unlike Edwina, who seemed to believe that everyone owed her something.

"She has some nerve wearing white," Teela whispered to Adora as they took their places. "You know fully well he's doing this because of her position in the family. He could just as easily have married one of the mothers of his children."

Adora nodded in agreement, though she wished Teela wouldn't complain so much. Then again, Teela had always had something of a temper. "Sometimes you have to let them learn the hard way," she whispered back.

The ceremony soon got underway. Count Marzo was dressed in a gray tunic and Adora couldn't help but think that he looked not only downright smug, but sinister as well. She really didn't want him to be part of her family. No one did, but unfortunately it was Edwina's choice. Despite friends, relatives, and other guests appearing happy, there was something of a somber undercurrent to it all, and it made Adora uneasy. Her unborn daughter kicked within her womb, almost as if she too sensed it.

Edwina had a rather haughty look as she came down the aisle on the arm of her father, who was doing his best to look like a proud father. Adora knew fully well that her uncle-by-marriage was disappointed, and that this was the latest in a long string of disappointments for him, not to mention the biggest.

Adora fully expected someone to actually speak out when the officiant asked if there was anyone who had any reason why the pair should not be wed. Almost to her surprise, everyone was silent. People who did not want Edwina to marry Marzo had already expressed their disapproval over the past couple of months. It was clear that she was not going to listen-so let her take what was coming to her. Everyone knew that Marzo was rather slimy and that seemed to be attractive to her. Let her find out on her own.

Moments later the vows were said and Count Marzo was now Adam and Adora's cousin-in-law. Edwina would now officially be known as Countess Edwina but she still held the title of Duchess of Eternia.

* * *

The wedding reception that followed took place in the ballroom and was slightly more festive than the ceremony had been. "I'm surprised Marissa isn't kicking," Sea Hawk commented as he and Adora danced together.

"Perhaps my dancing is rocking her to sleep," Adora suggested.

"I have to say, this is probably the strangest wedding I've ever attended. Everyone is _pretending_ to be happy," Sea Hawk said.

"I just have a bad feeling about this," Adora confessed. "I keep thinking we're all in danger. You know the line of succession, Hawk."

"I'm sure everyone will keep an eye out. I know I will," he said. He paused. "I have to be blunt-that cousin of yours is a fool. A very silly fool."

"Tell me something I don't know," Adora sighed. "She was always concerned about how she looked and what she could get out of people. She would say how she wished that her mother was first in line so she could get to be Queen of Eternia."

Sea Hawk stopped dancing abruptly. "Hawk-what is it?" she asked.

"Maybe she's not so much a silly fool as a totally wicked woman," Sea Hawk said quietly. "I don't trust that woman. At all. Somehow I don't think she grew out of being self-absorbed, from what you've told me. I think she's gotten worse. Adora, I've dealt with people. I've been on my own since I was a lad. I'm telling you, she is up to no good."

* * *

The following morning, after breakfast, Adora went into her father's study to have a talk with him. Sea Hawk was with her. "What can I do for you two?" Randor asked his daughter and son-in-law.

"Father, we need to talk about Edwina," Adora said as she and Sea Hawk sat down on a sofa together. Marissa was kicking, and Adora placed her hand over her belly.

"She went off on her honeymoon with that Marzo last night, what has she done?" Randor asked, frowning.

"I'm concerned that she means this family harm, Sire," said Sea Hawk. "Adora has told me about incidents when they were children and Edwina would say how she wanted to one day be Queen of Eternia. You, Adam, and Adora stand in the way of that."

"She's always been a flighty girl," Randor said thoughtfully. "She was five when my children were born. I know she'd been told that if I didn't have any children, her mother was next in line. Are you suggesting she might be plotting something?"

"I don't know...I don't have proof," Sea Hawk said, spreading his hands. "I just would like to see you keep an eye out."

Randor studied his son-in-law. "Your concerns are duly noted, son," he said. "Edwina has always been like this. Truth be told, my sister was relieved when Adam and Adora were born, because quite honestly, no one wants to see Queen Edwina." He looked at Adora. "Now don't you go spreading this, Adora," he cautioned.

"You know I won't, Father," Adora assured him. She knew that it would only stoke the flames if that ever got around, and besides, she was no gossip.

"I will exercise due caution," Randor continued. "I do not trust that Marzo but no one can really pin anything on him. I too am suspicious of his sudden interest in my niece. But one must be careful not to accuse someone without solid evidence."

"I understand, Father," said Adora.

"I have to say, that was the strangest wedding I've ever attended," Randor remarked. "Very few people at that wedding were happy."

* * *

Adam and Adora turned twenty that December, and the following month, everyone was anticipating the births of King Randor's first two grandchildren. Two nurseries were set up; one adjoined Adam and Teela's suite, and the other Sea Hawk and Adora's. Gifts came in from friends, relatives, and subjects. For all of Edwina's fussing about Adora's marriage to a pirate captain, Randor's subjects didn't seem to care; they were just glad that someone had been taking care of their princess.

January the seventh, Adora's due date, came and went. Sea Hawk joked that Marissa was probably being fashionably late and reminded her that the midwife had said as long as she wasn't more than two weeks late she'd be fine. On top of that, the afternoon of the ninth, Teela went into labor a few days ahead of schedule.

Teela and Adam were in a room in the infirmary. Visitors were generally permitted until the laboring mother went into the transition stage, which was the most intense (and painful) stage. It was evening, getting on towards nightfall, when Sea Hawk and Adora visited with Teela.

"I can just hardly wait for this to be over with," Teela said through clenched teeth as she experienced another contraction.

Adora suddenly felt as if something were squeezing her own belly. Adam studied his twin sister. "Adora?" he asked.

"I hope there's another midwife around because I think _I'm_ in labor!" Adora exclaimed.

* * *

Adora was in bed in the room next door to Teela's. It was about two in the morning. Sea Hawk was fast asleep in the recliner that was next to the bed.

She could hear the sound of a baby crying next door, and it pulled Sea Hawk out of his light slumber. "Our nephew," Adora said. "I think Duncan has just been born!"

Sea Hawk yawned and sat up. He got up and went and sat on the edge of the bed, so he was facing Adora.

She cried out as another contraction hit. Remembering the exercises she'd learned, she managed to breathe through it. The pain would increase, hit a kind of climax, then decrease. She concentrated on her breathing and tried to keep her mind off the pain. The cry of her newborn nephew reminded her that this pain had a purpose.

The door opened and Queen Marlena came in. "My grandson has just been born. How are you doing, dear?" she asked Adora.

"They're coming closer together, Mother," Adora replied.

"The midwife will be here shortly to check on you," Marlena said as she stood at her daughter's bedside. "They're cleaning up little Duncan right now. He's a beautiful baby, he looks just like Adam."

A while later the midwife came in to check on Adora. "You should be going into transition before too long, Your Highness, you're at seven," she said.

"I can hardly wait," Adora said.

"It's your first time carrying to term, and a first child typically takes the longest," the midwife said, her tone gentle as she knew about the miscarriage Adora had suffered.

"May we come in?"

Marlena got up and let in Adam, who was carrying his newborn son in his arms. Randor was with him. "Teela's sleeping," he said. "I thought Duncan might want to see his Aunt Adora and Uncle Sea Hawk."

"It should be all right," said the midwife.

Adam went over to his sister's bed and held his son so she could see her nephew. Adora smiled as she gently touched his cheek. "Your cousin is about to make her appearance," Adora told the baby.

"Twin cousins," Adam joked.

"Looks like your son found that boring, he's starting to fall asleep," Randor told Adam.

Adora started to giggle until another contraction came.

"Duchess Marissa will be arriving before too long. Why don't Your Majesties get some rest," the midwife suggested.

* * *

Adora thought it would never end. If someone asked her what labor pains felt like, she would tell that person to take their worst cramps and multiply it by a factor of a hundred. Her body seemed to be super-sensitive at this point too; if Sea Hawk tried to touch her back it hurt. Right now she was clinging to his hand. Between contractions, which were coming one right after the other, she recalled her mother telling her that in some places on Earth the father wasn't allowed in the room while his wife was giving birth. How ridiculous, she'd thought, given that there was nothing the father hadn't seen before! She was gtateful to have her own husband here, supporting her.

She felt irresistible urges to push. The midwife's voice seemed to come from far away as she advised Adora to work with the contractions. Adora was tired; she'd been in labor all night and it was mid-morning. She didn't want to push anymore, her body seemed to be running the show and taking her along for the ride, and it was like she was going by instinct. Then she felt something happening.

Adora looked down between her legs and saw the midwife supporting baby Marissa as she emerged. Her cries of pain turned to cries of joy as she heard the cries of her infant daughter. Sea Hawk was grinning from ear to ear. He leaned over Adora and kissed her lips softly. "Congratulations, my lovely," he said.

* * *

A few days later, there was a celebration. It was customary to hold a celebration three days after the birth of a royal baby. Twenty years ago there had been a celebration for Adam and Adora. Now the celebration was for their newborns.

Two cradles sat side-by-side at one end of the room. In one lay Prince Duncan; in the other his cousin, Duchess Marissa. Adam and Teela stood behind Duncan's cradle while Sea Hawk and Adora stood behind Marissa's. King Randor and Queen Marlena stood behind their children. Teela's parents stood near Teela, grinning down at their grandson.

Adora felt a momentary flash of sadness, remembering the baby she'd miscarried. At least that child was in a better place, she thought, pushing the thought aside. She would always hold the memory of that child in her heart; now she had to concentrate on raising that child's sister. She had been told by the midwife a few months ago, while she was visiting Etheria, that the baby had been malformed and would never have survived to term, much less another couple of weeks, and that the physical attack on her had merely hastened things.

It had been too early to tell the sex of the child, but a genetic scan, done while Adora had been unconscious, had shown that it had been a boy, and in her mind she named him Falcon, after her husband's late father. Falcon's sister, Marissa, was named after their late paternal grandmother.

Having Marissa was a big help in Adora's healing process. Adora now had a healthy, perfect child.

The babies had been fed and were dry, and so were content; in fact, both of them were sleeping. Adora's eyes scanned the crowd. She knew that friends from Etheria would be showing up too. Bow and Glimmer now had a son, Prince Micah. Adora found herself wondering if her daughter might one day marry Micah, but then she figured that she'd let Marissa choose for herself. Her ancestors had long ago abandoned the practice of betrothing infants.

"Cousin."

Adora looked up, saw Edwina in front of the cradles along with Marzo. "Hello, Edwina," she said.

"I'm going to have a child of my own come August," Edwina said.

Marzo grinned lecherously at Adora, then they left the dais and the line continued. Sea Hawk gently laid his hands on Adora's shoulders in a protective gesture.

Soon Bow and Glimmer were at the head of the line, and Glimmer held baby Micah in her arms. Little Micah, who was two months old, had auburn hair and blue eyes. "Congratulations all of you," said Bow. He and Glimmer gazed down at the two infants. "Perhaps Micah will have these two as playmates."

"That would be nice," said Adam.

After an hour the well-wishers had been through the line. The babies were waking up, so Adora and Teela took them into another room, knowing that they would be hungry.

"That Marzo," said Teela as she and Adora sat across from each other and nursed their babies. "I just keep thinking there's something going on."

"I'm sure there is," said Adora as she gazed down at her daughter. "And of course Edwina had to use this time to announce her pregnancy."

"Don't let her get to you," said Teela. "I know how she is. If you recall, I taught her a lesson on more than one occasion."

Adora smiled a little. Teela had always been a scrapper. There had been more than one occasion, when they were children, where Edwina would smack Teela and call her a fithy commoner. Teela always fought back, and after a while Edwina left her alone. Teela did get the scolding from her parents, but Adora suspected that Duncan and Teelana had never really been upset with her over that. It had simply been a matter of protocol. Now Teela, as Prince Adam's wife, ranked higher than Edwina...which no doubt rankled Edwina to no end. "You have the upper hand now," Adora said.

* * *

Duncan and Marissa were now five months old. Adora and Teela were outside in a grassy area, and the cousins were on a large blanket together, surrounded by toys. The two young women grinned as their babies hugged each other.

Duncan looked like his father; he had the same blond hair and blue eyes. Marissa had her mother's eyes and her hair was strawberry-blond-a combination of her father's red and her mother's blond. Summer was about ready to start and it was already warm out, so the two babies were dressed in rompers. Duncan's was blue while Marissa's was pink.

The children's fathers joined them. "How's my girl?" Sea Hawk asked as he lifted his daughter into the air. Marissa laughed as her father held her over his head. Sea Hawk then sat down and sat her on his lap. Adam sat down next to Teela and watched as his son started rolling around on the blanket.

"We have some news," said Adam as he grabbed one of Duncan's feet and started tickling it, making the baby laugh. "Edwina's coming here. She found out that she's having a girl and Marzo got really upset."

"What?" asked Teela. "It's not like they can't have other children afterward!"

"Well, that's what she _said_ ," Adam sighed. "She'll be here later on today."

"Is she going to try to divorce him?" Adora asked. That would be a pretty drastic step. Marriage was considered for life on Eternia. Divorce was very seldom granted-a vow was a vow. If a spouse was in danger from the other spouse, a separation was acceptable and the spouse in danger had the option of going into a shelter while the abusing spouse was told to seek help. Of course, with the recognition of marriage being for life, people tended to choose their spouses carefully and such problems were very uncommon.

"I don't know," said Adam. "She said Marzo's been hitting her since they found out they're having a daughter. Again, that is what she _said_."

"Why doesn't she just go to your aunt and uncle's?" asked Teela.

Adam shrugged and a "search-me" look was on his face. "Maybe she thinks my father would be better able to protect her, I don't know."

"She asked for it," Teela muttered.

"Yeah, well, she's family," Adam sighed. "Unfortunately you can't choose your relatives."

"She should have made a better choice of husband. Not that there was much of a choice, with her history," Teela continued.

"All right, Teela," Adam said to his wife in a tone of voice that said _that's enough_. "My father already agreed to it. The best we can do is maybe try to avoid her."

* * *

Later that day, a carriage arrived with Countess Edwina. She was heavily pregnant, due in about two months, and right away, as her cousins helped her get settled in, she started complaining about how hard a time she had with walking. Any sympathy Adam or Adora might have had for her vanished within the first few minutes.

"If you just _walk_ , it'll help the swelling in your ankles," Adora said, barely managing to sound polite. She knew what it was like to be heavily pregnant and Edwina was making it sound like a terminal illness. She felt sorry for her unborn cousin already.

"Who asked _you_?" Edwina snarled.

" _You're_ the one asking for someone to mollycoddle you," Adam told his cousin in a stern voice.

Adora noticed that there were no visible bruises on her cousin, and Edwina was wearing a short-sleeved maternity dress that went to her knees. Her bare arms and legs showed no signs of abuse whatsoever.

As the twins left the guest room, Adora whispered to Adam what she had noticed-or rather, what she had _not_ noticed. "I know," Adam said, suspicion creeping into his voice. "First she doesn't go to her parents' home. Then there's no sign of mistreatment. I think we should tell Father."

* * *

King Randor was in his study when his children walked in. "Is Edwina settled in?" he asked.

"Yes, she is. Father, you said she claimed she was being beaten. We saw no bruises on her," Adam said, getting straight to the point. "What is she doing here?"

"Really? Edwina said that Marzo was beating her because she is carrying a girl instead of a boy," said Randor, who had not seen his niece yet. He rested his elbows on his desk and put his face in his hands for a moment-an exasperated look the twins had rarely seen him show. "I will talk to that girl and find out what is really going on. If you'll excuse me, you two."

Randor got up and strode out of his study. "I promised your husband I'd spar with him," Adam said to Adora.

"I'm going to check on the children," Adora said. "They may be getting up from their nap soon."

* * *

A little while later, Adora was sitting in the rocking chair in Marissa's nursery, nursing her daughter. The baby was starting to eat some table food, but she still nursed a couple of times a day, upon waking up, and at bedtime. It was customary to wean babies at around one year old.

"What a waste of a figure."

Adora looked up and saw Edwina standing there, looking down her nose at her. "You don't sound like you'd be a very good mother, Edwina," Adora said quietly.

"That's what a wet nurse is for," Edwina said imperiously. "Now why did you go running to your daddy and tell him lies about me?"

"I didn't lie about you."

"You did. You said that I lied and said Marzo was beating me. I said no such thing. I said he was constantly _berating_ me," Edwina snapped.

"That's the message that I heard. If I misunderstood I apologize," said Adora. She didn't like her cousin very much but she wanted to keep the peace as much as possible. There was a possibility that the message had been misunderstood. She paused. "Is there a possibility that you'll reconcile?"

"Maybe," Edwina said. "I just got tired of him harassing me...and bedding other women."

"Edwina, you knew fully well that he keeps a virtual harem!" Adora snapped. "We tried to tell you!"

"He promised me he'd send them away and he didn't."

"Well, color me surprised!" Adora shot back. "And you really have no room to talk, given _your_ past!" She put Marissa into a little saucer toy so she could play.

Edwina strode towards her cousin and slapped her across the face. At that moment, Marissa started to cry. Had Edwina not been pregnant, Adora would have not only struck back, but made it clear to her that she was not to be trifled with.

"What's going on?" Adora looked up and saw Sea Hawk standing in the doorway, looking furious; he'd obviously just heard the slap.

"I was just talking to your wife," Edwina said. "Excuse me, sea dog." She brushed past Sea Hawk.

Tears came to Adora's eyes and Marissa was still crying. Sea Hawk came over, lifted Marissa into his arms, and hugged Adora. "That woman is trouble," he declared as he held his wife and daughter.


	3. Consequences

Chapter 3-Consequences

About six weeks passed. Adam, Adora, and their respective spouses generally tried to avoid Edwina. Mealtimes could be a bit awkward. Edwina claimed that her pregnancy was making her emotional; therefore any outbursts or temper tantrums could be excused. Her behavior improved somewhat when King Randor informed her that if she didn't make any attempt to tone it down, she would have her meals in her room.

One day, a guard came into the throne room saying that Count Marzo was at the palace gate and wished to come in. "I invited him here, I want to try to reconcile with him," Edwina said in a haughty tone. "Our daughter is due in two weeks."

"You would have done well to inform me first, Edwina," Randor said, his tone stern.

"I didn't think about that, Uncle," Edwina said in a dismissive tone.

Adora had to keep from rolling her eyes. Her cousin never thought of anyone except herself. Edwina had just turned twenty-six but she behaved like a three-year-old.

"You need to start thinking about these things in the future, dear," Queen Marlena said in a gentle tone. Adora knew that her mother's patience was at an end and that she was disguising it.

Edwina's only response was a roll of her eyes.

* * *

Count Marzo was put in the same room as his wife, at Edwina's request (or rather, command). Adora still felt uneasy having him around; he still looked at her lecherously and she tried to avoid him whenever possible.

Adora was headed down the corridor to check on her daughter one day when Marzo came out of another room. "Adora...my beauty," he said to her.

"You have the wrong cousin, I'm afraid," Adora said.

Marzo leaned in close to her and she found herself backed up against a wall. He put his hands on the wall, on either side of her head. "I bet I can give you an even better-looking child," he said in a low voice.

Adora's heart was racing. She quickly brought her knee up as forcefully as she could, getting him in the abdomen. As he backed away she gave him a good kick right between the legs. He howled as he slumped to the floor, and Adora ran to her suite.

Sea Hawk was in their room, playing with their daughter, when Adora burst in. "What happened?" he asked as he sat Marissa down in the middle of their bed.

"Marzo...he...he..." Adora managed to tell her husband what Marzo had done-and what she had done.

"Both of them need thrown out of here. It doesn't look like there's any trouble between them," Sea Hawk growled as he hugged her.

Suddenly, Queen Marlena burst into the room. "Adora! Sea Hawk! There's been terrible news!" she cried.

Adora stood up straight, and Sea Hawk picked up their daughter so she wouldn't roll off the bed. "What is it, Mother?" she asked.

"Your Aunt has died in a fire!" Marlena cried.

"Edwina's mother?" Sea Hawk asked.

"We just got word...it happened last night, while her husband was on a diplomatic mission," Marlena said, tears running down her cheeks. "She was like a sister to me..."

Adora went over and hugged her mother, tears streaming down her own cheeks.

* * *

A few days later, Adora and her family traveled to the Plains Kingdom, which Edwina's father, Milton, ruled. The auburn-haired King Milton looked broken; his beloved wife had burned to death.

As they stood in the kingdom's main graveyard to say their final farewells to Queen Mira, Princess of Eternia, Adora studied her cousin Edwina carefully. Edwina didn't seem to be terribly upset over the loss of her mother. Her main complaint was that she had at least two whole weeks to go before she gave birth, and it was so hard to walk.

"I'm so sorry for your loss, Uncle Milton," Adora whispered after the service. She was holding Marissa but she managed to hug him. He kissed her cheek in return and gave his grandniece a kiss on her cheek as well.

"Thank you, Adora," he said.

"You know we'll help you if we can," said Adam.

Milton looked over to where Edwina was chatting it up with some friends. "My daughter won't be of help, she's too busy looking out for herself," he said sadly. He shook his head. "Where did we go wrong? I fear for my soon-to-be-born granddaughter."

Marlena hugged her brother-in-law. "You have Mira's family, Milton," she told him sincerely.

There was a meal at Milton's castle after the funeral. The mood was somber, as if people knew something wasn't exactly right. Rumors were flying that the fire was no accident; it was a hideous act of arson. Word was that Marzo had visited with his mother-in-law that night, but by the time the firefighters came, he wasn't there.

"I bet you anything it was Marzo," Adam said to Adora quietly as they sat down at their meal.

"I think so too," said Teela as she fed some baby food to Duncan, who was sitting in a high chair. "I just wish we had real proof. Marzo is so slippery."

"Father will have the matter investigated," said Adam.

"Better find out where Marzo was that entire night," Sea Hawk put in.

"Don't any of you worry, this will be looked into closely," said the elder Duncan.

Adora looked across the room to where Edwina was sitting with her husband and some friends. Edwina seemed to be thriving off the drama; she enjoyed the attention, and she seemed to think that it was all about her. With the death of her aunt-an heir to the throne of Eternia-Adora was even more convinced that her family was in danger.

Marzo looked up and returned Adora's glare with a smile that made her all the more uncomfortable. Adora quickly averted her gaze and turned her attention to her daughter. She had already told her father what had happened a few days ago; there had been no time to do anything about it because that was when they had found out about Mira's death. Randor planned to keep close tabs on Marzo, which meant letting him and Edwina stay at the palace-but confined to their suite. He felt strongly that Marzo was responsible for his younger sister's death and he wasn't going to let the attack on Adora go unpunished.

* * *

The following day, Adora and her family returned to Eternos. Later on, her father planned on announcing that Marzo and Edwina were to be confined to their suite until an investigation was made.

The babies were put down for naps. "I'm going to go to the den to relax," Adora told Sea Hawk as she lightly kissed his lips. "It's just been crazy the past few days."

"All right. I'll get our things put away, and I think I'll join you in a little while," Sea Hawk said as he gently cupped her cheek in his hand.

Adora headed down the corridor to the main den. It was still so unreal...her aunt was dead, and her cousin's husband might have had something to do with it. She just wanted a little bit of time alone to process things. She went and lounged on one of the couches.

"Well, well, look who's decided to join us," said an evil-sounding voice.

Adora looked up and saw Marzo and Edwina enter the room. "I'll just be going," she said.

"No, stay. I have something to tell you," Marzo said as he approached the couch. He unsheathed a knife from his belt. Edwina stood nearby, looking smug. "I killed your aunt. Edwina and I are going to get rid of all of you, and since her mother is dead, we will rule Eternia together!" His gaze traveled up and down Adora's body. "First, I want to have fun with you, I've been denied it for so long, and you decided to marry that pirate..."

"Why don't you just dispatch her and get it over with?" Edwina snapped.

"Quiet, woman. Think of it as your cousin getting what's coming to her!"

Edwina came over and tried to pull her husband off Adora. Much to Adora's surprise, he gave her a mighty shove backwards and she fell, slamming her head on a nearby coffee table. Adora screamed as he then held the knife at her throat.

Suddenly, someone else burst into the room. It was Adam and Sea Hawk. "He's going to kill us all!" Adora cried.

Marzo raised the dagger, prepared to drive it into her heart, but Sea Hawk quickly kicked him in the side, knocking him over and away from Adora. "Adora, get out of here now!" Sea Hawk told his wife.

At that point guards came pouring in. Marzo had leaped to his feet and was wrestling with Sea Hawk. One guard helped Adora out of the fray. "This way, Your Highness," he said.

Adora watched fearfully from outside the room. Two guards came out carrying Edwina's body. "The countess is dead but the infant may yet be saved," one of them said as they ran in the direction of the infirmary.

Finally Sea Hawk emerged, blood on him. "Hawk-you're hurt!"

"No, more like that Marzo is dead. With his own dagger," he said grimly. "His murdering days are over."

* * *

A little while later, Adora was holding a newborn infant, Countess Kerianne, in her arms. The baby girl had managed to survive the death of her mother. She had not been without oxygen for very long, so she would be fine. Edwina had been thirty-eight weeks along, so Kerianne was considered full-term.

Edwina had died of a head injury. When she fell and hit her head, death had not been instantaneous, which gave Kerianne a chance at life. Adora gazed down at the infant, who was her child's second cousin. She was a countess twice over; her father had been a count and her mother Duchess of Eternia. She might be sent to live with her grandfather, King Milton. For now, Adora had volunteered to nurse her young cousin along with her own daughter.

"I can only hope that nothing bad was passed on to you, little one," Adora whispered to the dark-haired infant, who was fast asleep in her arms as Adora sat in Marissa's nursery. "I can only hope you turn out to be a good person like your maternal grandparents."

Sea Hawk emerged from the bathroom, dressed in clean clothing. "That poor baby," he said, shaking his head.

"I don't know if I'd say that, given what her parents were like," Adora replied. She looked up at her husband. "She would have been raised without love, I'm sure of it."

"Do you think King Milton will want to raise her?"

"I don't know," Adora replied. "Father said he would leave it up to Milton. If he doesn't want to raise her, Kerianne has a home here. Teela said she would help take care of her. What do you think, Hawk?"

"I'm all right with caring for her. At least here, she will be around children her age-her cousins." He paused. "What do we tell her about her parents when she's older?"

"The truth, as she's able to handle it," Adora replied. "Hawk, when you killed Marzo, that was in self-defense."

"It was," he nodded.

It was almost a week before the funerals were conducted in the Plains Kingdom. King Milton was looking like a man totally defeated. "I think I should raise my granddaughter, Randor. She is heir to the throne. I am not that old; I think I may be around for a good long while, barring any mishaps," Milton told him after Marzo and Edwina were buried.

Adora handed little Kerianne to her grandfather. "This is your grandpa, Kerianne," Adora told her. "He will take care of you."

"She's a beautiful baby," Milton said as he gently took his granddaughter into his arms. "She has such beautiful blue eyes."

"She's a quiet baby, Uncle," Adora added with a smile. "She only cries if she needs anything. And if she wants to be cuddled."

Kerianne seemed to be content in her grandfather's arms. She dozed off, a peaceful look on her face, totally oblivious to the chaos around her.

-end-

 _A/N This may be the end of this story, but I will have more stories coming!_


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